Russian Spring Punch is a four-ingredient cocktail — vodka, crème de cassis, fresh lemon juice, and sparkling wine — that comes together in about ten minutes with no special skills required. It was created by London bartender Dick Bradsell, the same person behind the Espresso Martini. The real reason to make it: the deep berry-citrus flavor is genuinely crowd-pleasing, and it looks impressive without any effort.
Why this recipe works
Two things make this drink work. First, shaking the vodka, cassis, and lemon juice over ice before adding the sparkling wine chills and dilutes the base just enough to soften the alcohol without watering it down — if you skipped the shake and poured everything straight into the glass, the flavors would sit in separate layers and the lemon would taste sharp rather than bright. Second, the sparkling wine goes in last and is never shaken, which keeps the bubbles intact. Those bubbles do real work here: they lift the sweetness of the cassis so the drink finishes clean rather than sticky.
Storage and reheating
This cocktail is built to order and does not store well once mixed — the sparkling wine goes flat within minutes. If you are making drinks for a group, you can shake together the vodka, cassis, and lemon juice up to two hours ahead and keep the mixture in a sealed jar in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, pour the chilled base over fresh ice in each glass and top with sparkling wine right before handing them out. Do not freeze the pre-mixed base; the lemon juice turns dull and slightly bitter after thawing.
Troubleshooting
- The drink tastes too sweet: Your cassis brand may be on the sweeter side, or the lemon was under-juiced. Squeeze a few extra drops of fresh lemon directly into the glass and stir once — that usually rebalances it without you having to start over.
- The color is pale pink instead of deep red-purple: This usually means the cassis was measured short or the sparkling wine was poured too heavily relative to the base. Stick to the 75 ml wine limit and make sure the cassis is fully shaken into the mix before straining.
- The sparkling wine goes flat immediately: The glass or the base mixture was too warm. Chill your highball glasses in the freezer for five minutes before building the drink, and make sure the sparkling wine comes straight from the fridge.
- The drink tastes boozy and harsh: The shaker was not cold enough, or you did not shake long enough. Fifteen seconds of hard shaking with a full shaker of ice is the minimum — the outside of the shaker should feel uncomfortably cold to hold. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish — and focus on getting the shake right instead.
- The mixture is cloudy after straining: Small ice chips got through. Use a fine-mesh strainer over the cocktail strainer, or let the shaker sit for ten seconds before straining so the ice chips settle.
Russian Spring Punch
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Strainer
- highball glass
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 50 ml vodka Use a high-quality Russian vodka
- 25 ml blackcurrant liqueur Such as Crème de Cassis
- 25 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice From about half a lemon
Finishing Touch
- 75 ml sparkling wine Well-chilled
Garnish
- 1 slice lemon For garnish
- 1 sprig mint For garnish
Instructions
- Fill the cocktail shaker with ice to the top.
- Add the vodka, blackcurrant liqueur, and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the shaker.
- Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels cold.
- Strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
- Top with well-chilled sparkling wine.
- Garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint for a fresh aroma and vibrant appearance.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor; bottled juice lacks the same vibrant acidity and aroma.
- If desired, substitute a lavender sprig for a spring floral note.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I make a non-alcoholic version for kids?
Yes — replace the vodka with sparkling water or a light white grape juice, and swap the sparkling wine for more sparkling water or a lemon-flavored sparkling drink. Use the same 25 ml of cassis for the berry flavor, and shake the cassis and lemon juice with ice before topping up, so the texture and color stay similar.
What sparkling wine should I use?
A dry (brut) prosecco or cava works well and keeps the cost reasonable — you do not need champagne. Avoid anything labeled ‘extra dry’ or ‘demi-sec,’ which are actually sweeter and will make the finished drink cloying alongside the cassis.
Can I use blackcurrant cordial instead of crème de cassis?
You can, but reduce the amount to about 15 ml because cordial is much sweeter and less complex than the liqueur. The drink will be noticeably less tart and will have a lower alcohol content, which is fine if that suits your crowd.
Do I need a cocktail shaker, or can I stir it instead?
A shaker gives you a better result because it chills the base faster and integrates the lemon juice more thoroughly. If you do not have one, stir the vodka, cassis, and lemon juice briskly in a tall glass packed with ice for about 30 seconds, then strain into a fresh glass before topping with sparkling wine.
